The ISEE is a four-section, multiple-choice exam administered by the Education Records Bureau. The exact number of questions and time vary a little for each level.
| Test Section | Questions | Time | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal Reasoning | 40 | 20 minutes | Tests vocabulary and reasoning abilities Synonym section focuses on word recognition Sentence Completion section measures students’ knowledge of words and their function Use context clues to decide which word best fits the sentence |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 37 | 35 minutes | Tests mathematical synthesis, skill, comprehension, and logical reasoning Quantitative Reasoning problems are higher-order thinking problems Interpreting data Solving application problems Estimating Recognizing patterns Solving non-routine problems |
| Reading Comprehension | 36 | 35 minutes | Tests reading ability through six to eight passages, depending on the ISEE test level. Each passage is followed by at least 4 text-related questions. |
| Mathematics Achievement | 47 | 40 minutes | Correlates with common mathematics curriculum taught in schools. Students may NOT use calculators on the ISEE. |
| Essay | 1 | 30 minutes | Students’ essays must be in response to a provided prompt Students’ essays are sent to each school that receives the ISEE score report Essays are NOT SCORED, but are instead evaluated individually by each school The ISEE essay section is intended for students to demonstrate their writing abilities |